Representing Missouri Workers with Job-Related Repetitive Stress Injuries

When you think of a job-related injury, you may first think of an acute injury from an unexpected accident. However, many people suffer work injuries in the absence of a single event or accident. Many of these are repetitive stress injuries (RSIs), which can develop from jobs that require you to engage in the same motions over and over. An RSI can be surprisingly serious, and it can keep you from working just like any other type of workplace injury. Our Missouri workers' compensation lawyers have seen firsthand the effects of RSIs, and we represent workers to ensure they receive the full benefits they deserve while they recover. If you have questions or concerns about a workers' compensation claim, call The Law Firm of Webster & Carlton for a free consultation today.

Common Types of Repetitive Motion Injuries

There are different kinds of injuries that can result from repetitive motion and stress on the body. Some common RSIs that might lead to a workers' compensation claim include:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome - This occurs by the compression of the median nerve and can cause numbness and pain in the fingers and wrists.
• Tendinitis - This condition results from the inflammation or irritation of tendons, and can cause tenderness and pain in the shoulders, knees, wrists, or elbows.
• Bursitis - This results from the inflammation of the cushions between your muscles, bones, and tissue, and is common in the hips, elbows, shoulders, and knees.
• Rotator cuff injury - This happens when the tendons around the shoulder joint tear.
• Cervical radiculopathy - This is the inflammation or damage of the nerve root in the cervical spine, which can result in weakness, numbness, pain, or lessened reflexes in the arms, shoulders, and hands.

The above often develop when people make the same motions on the job, which can include reaching, lifting, bending, turning your arm, or even typing. Repetitive stress injuries can happen to anyone, though they are common in certain types of work, including the following:

• Assembly lines
• Construction
• Carpentry
• Driving
• Playing an instrument
• Painting
• Typing and computer work
• Electrical work
• Plumbing
• Milking animals
• Massage and physical therapy
• Packing and stocking
• Butchering work

If you work in a high-risk job and start to feel pain, numbness, or any type of discomfort, you should never ignore it. Instead, report the problem to your employer and see a doctor for a diagnosis right away. Often, the sooner you begin treating an RSI, the sooner you can fully recover. If you need medical treatment or must take time off work due to a job-related injury, you should seek the workers' compensation benefits you deserve under Missouri law.

Contact Our Missouri Workers Compensation Attorneys for Help Today

At the The Law Firm of Webster & Carlton, we help people in Missouri obtain the benefits they need for medical treatment and lost income. Call our Joplin office at 417-781-5690 or our Springfield office at 417-890-4600. You can also use our online contact form, and someone will get in touch as soon as possible.